Sick Pay

jeannieblue

I'm sorry if this has been asked before.....

My company has deducted my wages for two days sick I had this month.

In the past they have paid me so it was a bit of a shock. I don't take time off that often - its quite rare in fact. I work full time, and have been there for three years. Is sick pay paid at the company's discretion or is there a law/minimam etc.

Be greatful for advice, links etc.

Thank you.

G-G_4

Do you have a contract?

Sugar_Coated_Owl

I think it is up to the individual company to decide whether they pay you or not, I'm pretty sure there is no legal requirement. However, if you qualify SSP would kick in on the 4th qualifying day. You would require a sick certificate if you were ill for more than 7 days.

CarolynH

You are not entitled to full salary payment for sickness absence unless your contract says you are.

Assuming you earn above the NI Lower Earnings limit, you would beentitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). However, this only kicks in after 3 'waiting' days and as you were only off for for 2 .......

SSP isn't much anyway, it's £70.55 per week.

jeannieblue

G-G wrote: »

Do you have a contract?

Contract is a tad vague to be honest..

Under the heading 'Sick pay scheme' - it says - "The Company does not operate a sick pay scheme and you will not be paid for periods of absence except entitlement you may have under the Statutory Sick Pay Scheme for which the qualifying days will be your normal working days. Any payments made in addition to SSP are entirely at the discretion of the Company and will not create a precedent either for the Company of for yourself."

To be honest - the above tells me nothing. If they had not paid me in the past then I could understand and accept that they are tight b*****ds.

I know nothing of this 'SSP' - I've never been deducted sick pay in all my years of working, mainly cos I don't take hardly any time off - have to be REALLY ill to not crawl in....

jeannieblue

By the time I typed my last bit - there had been two replies there that answered my question!!

It just threw me because they had on previous occasions paid me. Its a wake up call for me - no more working on late to help out, or losing half my lunch hour - which I've never got paid for in the past. I'm out of the door at dead on six!

Thanks for the info.

Sugar_Coated_Owl

It kind of contradicts itself doesn't it. In their first sentence it's quite clear in that they don't have a sick pay scheme-fair enough. It then mentions SSP which was covered in the above posts-makes sense. However, it then implies that they may make payments in addition to SSP

SSP is Statutory Sick Pay.

jeannieblue

I'm really flummoxed by it all really - I work my butt off for them, I'm loyal and honest - never late etc etc. Stay late to make sure job is done etc when necessary. Most of the time they are great and then they do something like this.

I'm hurt to be honest, feel like they don't value me, I'm always singing the companies praises (see motoring forum!). As said before, if they'd not paid the couple of times in the past, then I'd not be so shocked! I've never claimed overtime. But I feel like poo now, and not inclined to put myself out for them again.. Its not the money - its, more the principle - not sure its that...

CarolynH

Why not query it it with them? Just casually, say that you are a bit confused as it's not happened before? Could it be that it wasn't intended to be deducted but payroll weren't told this?

If you ask, financially you're not going to be any worse off, and at least you will know. It may be that you are upset over nothing.

If it was intended, then you'll know for sure. And it may help stiffen your resolve not to work late, through lunch etc.

Sorry if this is useless or unwanted advice, it's just a thought.:happylove

jeannieblue

CarolynH wrote: »

Why not query it it with them? Just casually, say that you are a bit confused as it's not happened before? Could it be that it wasn't intended to be deducted but payroll weren't told this?

If you ask, financially you're not going to be any worse off, and at least you will know. It may be that you are upset over nothing.

If it was intended, then you'll know for sure. And it may help stiffen your resolve not to work late, through lunch etc.

Sorry if this is useless or unwanted advice, it's just a thought.:happylove

Its not useless or unwanted!

We are a small company - only six of us - which includes the two owners/directors - we have a sort of family atmosphere most of the time!

We have a bookeeper that comes in once or twice a month to do the books and wages. She would have to have been told by one of the bosses that I'd been off for a couple of days to know to make the deduction.

We get paid by cheque - a tad old fashioned - and didn't get mine at lunch time like the others and the bosses were mucking about saying I'd not get any - and got mine at the very end of the day, still larking about - I didn't look at it til I got home tonight, and then it all kind of added up, it was like they were embarrassed at what they'd done! Its very weird.

And i will be 'stiffening' my resolve! I certainly do not feel like putting myself out for them at the moment! All these extra 5, 10, 15 or 20 minutes add up over the year!

G-G_4

It's a bit mean I have to admit.

Usually if you have been working for a company for a year, then you will get a certain amount of sick pay.

Seems like the contract is saying that they don't pay sick pay unless it comes under the SSP - which is 5 days I think ? But they will pay you for the days off if they want to.

I would speak to them about it..

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